He Belongs to Us
by JDH3
Summary: Obi-Wan hands a young Luke Skywalker off to his uncle, Owen and aunt, Beru, at the end of EP3.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! It's all George Lucas' world; I'm just hanging out for a while. Sue me and get nothing; I'm in charity work aka nearly broke.

**Author Note**: This little viggie was inspired by the look Beru gives Owen when he orders Luke to wipe Artoo's memory in ANH.

Title: He belongs to us now.

Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, baby Luke, Owen and Beru Lars.

Type: Vignette

Era: EP3

Genre: Angst

Summary: Obi-Wan hands a young Luke Skywalker off to his uncle, Owen and aunt, Beru.

Author: JD.

Feedback: Want it, need it, crave it- clear enough?

**He Belongs to Us Now**

Obi-Wan marched across the desert sand outside the Lars' family homestead, his thoughts deeply troubled. In his arms was the son of his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. A child he was destined to one day instruct in the ways of the Force, the ways of the Jedi. But was he even worthy of such a task? _I failed your father, little one,_ he thought, sadly looking down at the tiny bundle in his arms. _It was my job to guide him, and instead I allowed him to fall into darkness, taking the galaxy with him._ The Jedi master continued to lament. _I failed you, your father, your sister, and, yes, your..._ He could not bring himself to think of the agony he had allowed to befall his dear friend, senator Amidala.

"Who are you?" A strong male voice inquired as he neared the homestead.

"I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I am seeking Owen Lars and his wife," the Jedi master said formally, needing all his strength to keep his voice from cracking.

"I'm Owen Lars," was the man's gruff reply.

Obi-Wan blinked the unshed tears from his eyes as he took in the man before him. Anakin's stepbrother was dressed in the typical, homespun clothing of those native to the desert world. The Jedi reached out with the Force, and felt exactly what Padme had described to him. Owen was a gentle, kind soul that radiated light in the Force, even if his outer shell left much to be desired. Obi-Wan allowed a small smile, understanding that this man in front of him would never want himself to be thought of as gentle. He was not quite as Padme had recalled though. Obi-Wan figured the years since Padme had seen him had hardened him a bit more, but in that respect, Anakin's stepbrother was hardly alone.

"Do you have business with me?" Owen asked warily when Obi-Wan didn't immediately continue.

"I was a... I knew your brother, stepbrother, Anakin," Obi-Wan began, unsure of how to explain things.

"You sent him a message when he was last here, when Shmi was, when we buried his mother," a blond female said as she approached the two men.

"Go back to the house, Beru. I'll see to whatever this is," Owen instructed firmly.

"I will not, Owen Lars. And stop acting like that," Beru chastised. "Can't you see this man has obviously been through a great ordeal," she pointed out, taking in the various rips and burn marks on Obi-Wan's tunic and robe.

"I'm quite all right, I assure you," Obi-Wan lied, hoping to ease the tension between Luke's would-be guardians. "But to answer your question, yes, I sent the message Anakin received when he was here last."

"You see," Beru said primly. "Now that that is out of the way, what can we do for you, Master Jedi?" Beru asked, ignoring her husband's glare.

Luke chose that moment to let out a rather loud cry, causing Beru's eyebrows to shoot up in concern and Owen to scowl. "Actually, it's this little one that is the reason for my presence here," Obi-Wan chuckled at Anakin's son's sense of timing. "I am sorry to have to inform you of this, but..."

"Anakin is dead, isn't he?" Owen asked bluntly.

"Yes, I'm afraid he is," Obi-Wan answered soberly.

Beru gasped and covered her mouth with both hands, but Owen did not flinch. "Hmph, his luck should have run out ages ago, what with all the damn fool ..."

"Owen! He was your brother," Beru cut her husband off angrily. "And more than that, he was Shmi's son," she finished, her face hard as Owen had ever seen it.

"I'm sorry, dear," Owen said, placing a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "But Anakin took too many chances, and we both know it. He should have stayed here where he belonged."

Beru saw Obi-Wan shift uncomfortable, and decided that now was not the time to debate her very stubborn husband. "I'm sorry, Master Jedi, we keep getting away from the reason you came," she said apologetically.

The Jedi master nodded politely before continuing. "Anakin's death was very...unexpected," Obi-Wan felt shame rise like bile in his throat at the admission. He should have seen so many things before it was too late. "This one," he held out Luke for them to see, "is Luke Skywalker, Anakin's son."

"Anakin's son," Owen echoed.

"Padme," Beru breathed quietly.

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at Beru's utterance, but decided not to say anything. Somethings, he figured, were better left unspoken. "I do not like having to come here like this, but he has nowhere else to go," the Jedi explained, unable to keep the remorse from his voice.

"His mother?" Owen inquired suspiciously, his arms crossing.

"Would have followed Anakin to the grave," Beru said distractedly, her eyes on the squirming Luke.

"Something like that, yes," Obi-Wan replied, shivering involuntarily at recent memories. "Would you care to hold him?" He asked Beru.

"Yes, Yes I would," Beru answered quickly. She wasted no time in removing Luke from Obi-Wan's arms and wrapping him in hers. "He's beautiful."

"And he will be a powerful Jedi one day," Obi-Wan added softly, smiling as Luke stilled in his aunt's embrace.

"A Jedi, is that what you think my nephew will be when he grows up?" Owen interrupted the tender moment in a harsh voice.

Obi-Wan was taken aback by Owen's tone. "It is what his father would have wanted," he reasoned.

"Is it? The same father who lived, and lest we forget, died a Jedi? The same father who now leaves his son an orphan? My stepbrother watched as his mother died in his arms, and now he has left his own son alone in the galaxy."

"I'm afraid I don't follow..." Obi-Wan started, but was cut short.

"Anakin was many things, but I seriously doubt he would wish the same life he lived on his son," Owen explained. "If you harbor any doubts, Master Jedi, then ask yourself why you were not chosen to act as my nephew's guardian. After all, that is what you are here to ask my wife and I to become, isn't it?" He concluded.

Obi-Wan knew that Owen was sorely lacking in vital information, information that would better explain why the Jedi Master couldn't act as Luke's guardian. However, there was little point in arguing against such logic now. Besides, given how things had ended between he and Anakin, there was some truth in Owen's words. Unwilling to push the matter further, Obi-Wan bowed his head respectfully. "Perhaps, when the boy is older," he suggested, but stopped short of asking a direct question. He hoped an open-ended statement would allow all parties room for future discussions.

Owen turned away from Beru and Luke, who he was already escorting away from Obi-Wan and towards the homestead. "This will be the end of it," he paused, fixing the Jedi master with a stern glare. "He belongs to us now," Owen finished sharply, his mind made up. As he once more turned away from Obi-Wan, he caught Beru's wide-eyed gaze, but said nothing in response.

Alone with his thoughts, all Obi-Wan could do was watch as the new Lars' family entered their homestead. He noticed that Beru, who had been totally absorbed in Luke since taking him into her arms, looked back at him, but what was there to say? Luke's destiny couldn't be denied, not even by Owen Lars' stubbornness, Obi-Wan knew that. Pulling his hood tighter around his head, the Jedi Master vanished into the now swirling Tatooine sands, his life as a hermit beginning in earnest.

THE END.

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